Hearing-impaired individuals will now be able to experience world-class theatre productions like any other patron, following the launch of an assistive listening system, known as the “Loop System” at the Artscape this week.

Installed by the Western Cape Government, the hearing loop provides access to facilities for those who experience hearing loss and use hearing aids. It takes a sound source and transfers it directly to a hearing aid without background noise, interference, or acoustic distortion.

The system serves the Opera House, Theatre Auditorium, Arena, Innovation Lounge and Chandelier Foyer, making it one of the few theatres in South Africa to offer this service.

The launch on Thursday, 24 October, coincided with World Polio Day in partnership with Rotarians of District 9350, LIVEABLE, Unmute Dance Company, Gender Works and the Western Cape Network on Disability.

The Artscape has undertaken to share the aforementioned organisations’ vital work in the fields of accessibility and inclusion.

The CEO of Artscape Marlene le Roux has stressed that accessibility goes beyond physical changes like ramps.

“As someone who got polio when I was three months old, I know that the effects last a lifetime. Through our relationships with Rotary International, the Western Cape Disability Network, and the provincial government, we’re bringing attention to the ongoing support that polio survivors need and showing that true inclusion means everyone having the right to participate with dignity.”

During the launch, theatre management also took the opportunity to highlight other accessibility features at the Artscape, including toilet facilities, ramps, food and beverage counters, ticketing service counters for wheelchair-bound persons, dedicated wheelchair seating, and the comfort room, among others.